The Task of Genius

By Henry Miller

The task of genius
is to keep the miracle alive,
to live always in the miracle,
to make the miracle more and more miraculous,
to swear allegiance to nothing,
but live only miraculously,
think only miraculously,
die miraculously.

We Will Meet Again

From Inspiration Peak


We will meet again my friend,
A hundred years from today
Far away from where we lived
And where we used to play.

We will know each others' eyes
And wonder where we met
Your laugh will sound familiar
Your heart, I won't forget.

We will meet, I'm sure of this,
But let's not wait till then...
Let's take a walk beneath the stars
And share this world again.

The Far Vision and the Near Look

An Indian guide, who displayed uncanny skills in navigating the rugged regions of the Southwest, was asked how he did it. "What’s your secret of being an expert tracker and trail blazer?" a visitor asked him.

The guide answered, "There’s no secret. One must only possess the far vision and the near look. The first step is to determine where you want to go; then you must be sure that each step you take is a step in that direction."


Author Unknown

A Prayer

By Max Ehrmann



Let me do my work each day; and if the darkened hours of despair overcome me, may I not forget the strength that comforted me in the desolation of other times.

May I still remember the bright hours that found me walking over the silent hills of my childhood, or dreaming on the margin of a quiet river, when a light glowed within me, and I promised my early God to have courage amid the tempests of the changing years.

Spare me from bitterness and from the sharp passions of unguarded moments. May I not forget that poverty and riches are of the spirit. Though the world knows me not, may my thoughts and actions be such as shall keep me friendly with myself.

Lift up my eyes from the earth, and let me not forget the uses of the stars. Forbid that I should judge others lest I condemn myself. Let me not follow the clamor of the world, but walk calmly in my path.

Give me a few friends who will love me for what I am; and keep ever burning before my vagrant steps the kindly light of hope.

And though age and infirmity overtake me, and I come not within sight of the castle of my dreams, teach me still to be thankful for life, and for time's olden memories that are good and sweet; and may the evening's twilight find me gentle still.


Max Ehrmann (1872-1945) was an attorney from Indiana, best known for writing the "Desiderata" which begins with the famous line: "You are a child of the Universe, no less than the trees and the stars. You have a right to be here."

How To Stay Young

1. Throw out non-essential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctors worry about them. That is why you pay 'them.'

2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.

3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle. An idle mind is the devil's workshop. And the devil's name is Alzheimer's.

4. Enjoy the simple things.

5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.

6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve and move on. The only person who is with us our entire life is ourselves. Be alive while you are alive.

7. Surround yourself with what you love, whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.

8. Cherish your health. If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.

9. Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county; to a foreign country but not to where the guilt is.

10. Tell the peole you love that you love them, at every opportunity.

And always remember: Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

11 Rules for Life

By Bill Gates


Rule 1: Life is not fair - get used to it!

Rule 2: The world doesn't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

Rule 3: You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.

Rule 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.

Rule 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called it opportunity.

Rule 6: If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.

Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.

Why God Made Moms

Answers given by 2nd grade school children to the following questions:

Why did God make mothers?

1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
2. Mostly to clean the house.
3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.

How did God make mothers?

1. He used dirt, just like the rest of us.
2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
3. God made my mom just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts.

What ingredients are mothers made of?

1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.
2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.

Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom?

1. We're related.
2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's mom like me.

What kind of girl was your mom?

1. My mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.
2. I don;t know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
3. They say she used to be nice.

What did mom need to know about dad before she married him?

1. His last name.
2. She had to know him background. Like is he a crook> Does he get drunk on beer?
3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?

Why did your mom marry your dad?

1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my mom eats a lot.
2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
3. My grandma says that mom didn't have her thinking cap on.

Who's the boss at your house?

1. Mom doesn't want to be the boss, but she has to because dad's such a goof ball.
2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.
3. I guess mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.

What's the difference between moms and dads?

1. Moms work at work and work at home and dads just go to work at work.
2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
3. Dads are taller and stronger, but moms have all the real power 'cause that's who you get to ask if you want to sleep over at your friends.
4. Moms have magoc, they make you feel better without medicine.

What does your mom do in her spare time?

1. Mothers don't do spare time.
2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.

What would it take to make your mom perfect?

1. On the inside, she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.
2. Diet. You know, her hair. I'd diet, maybe blue.

If you could change one thing about your mom, what would it be?

1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of that.
2. I'd make my mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it not me.
3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on the back of her head.

Once You Believe

By Dr. Wayne Dyer

Once you believe in yourself
and see your soul as divine and precious,
you'll automatically be converted
to a being who can create miracles.

Native American Prayer

Great spirit of our Ancestors, I raise my pipe to You;
To your messengers in the four winds, and
to Mother Earth who provides for your children.
Give us the wisdom to teach our children to love,
to respect, and to be kind to each other,
so that they may grow with peace in mind.
Let us learn to share all good things
that You provide.

Just For Today

Author Unknown

Just for today I will try to live through this day only, and not tackle all my problems at once.

Just for today, I will be happy. This assumes to be true what Abraham Lincoln said, that "Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be."

Just for today, I will adjust myself to what is, and not try to adjust everything to my own desires. I will take my "luck" as it comes, and fit myself to it.

Just for today, I will try to strengthen my mind, I will study. I will learn something useful. I will not be a mental loafer. I will read something that requires effort, thought and concentration.

Just for today, I won't find fault with anything, nor try to improve or regulate anybody but myself.

Just for today, I will have a quiet half-hour all by myself, and relax.

Just for today, I will be unafraid. Especially, I will not be afraid to enjoy what is beautiful, and to believe that as I give to the world, so the world will give to me.

Irish Blessing

May the blessings of light be on you--light without and light within
May the blessed sunshine shine on you and warm your heart until it glows like a great peat fire--so that the stranger may come and warm himself, and also a friend
And may the light shine out of the two eyes of you, like a candle set in two windows of a house, bidding the wanderer to come in out of the storm

May the blessings of the rain be on you--the soft, sweet rain
May it fall upon your spirit, so that all the flowers may spring up, and shed their sweetness on the air
And may the blessings of the Great Rains be on you: May they beat upon your spirit and wash it fair and clean and leave there many a shining pool where the blue heavens shines reflected--and sometimes a star

And may the blessings of the Earth be on you--the Great Round Earth
May you ever have a kindly greeting for those you pass as you're going along the roads
May the earth be soft under you when you lie out upon it, tired at the end of the day
And may it rest easily over you, when at last you be out under it. May it rest so lightly over you that your soul may be quickly through it, and up, and off, and on its way to God.

And You Learn...

By Veronica Shofstall

After a while you learn
the subtle difference between
holding a hand and chaining a soul
and you learn that love doesn't mean possession
and company doesn't mean security.
And you begin to learn that kisses aren't contracts
and presents aren't promises and you begin to accept
your defeats with your head up and your eyes ahead
with the grace of an adult, not with the grief of a child.
And you learn to build your roads today
because tomorrow's ground is too uncertain for plans
and futures have ways of falling down in mid-flight.
After a while you learn that even sunshine
burns if you get too much so you plant your
own garden and decorate your own soul
instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.
And you learn that you really can endure
and you really do have worth
and you learn
and you learn...

From 20 Love Poems and a Song of Despair

By Pablo Neruda

I do not love you as if you were salt-rose or topaz
or the arrow of carnations the fire shoots off
I love you as certain dark things are to be loved
in secret, between shadow and soul

I love you as the plant that never blooms
but carries in itself the light of hidden flowers;
thanks to your love, a certain solid fragrance
risen from the earth, lives darkly in my body

I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where
I love you straightforwardly, without complexity or pride;
so I love you because I know no other way

Than this: where "I" does not exist nor you
so close that your hand on my chest is my hand
so close that your eyes close as I fall asleep

Ark Lessons from Professor Noah

From Kerygma, April 2003

1. Don't miss the boat.

2. Try to remember that we're all in the same boat.

3. Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark, you know.

4. Stay fit. When you're 600 years old, someone might ask you to do something REALLY big.

5. Don't listen to critics. Just get on with what has to be done.

6. Build your future on high ground.

7. For safety's sake, travel in pairs.

8. Two heads are better than one.

9. Speed isn't always an advantage; after all the snails were on board with the cheetahs.

10. When you're stressed, try floating awhile.

11. Remember that the ark was built by amateurs; it was the Titanic that was built by professionals.

12. Remember that woodpeckers inside are a bigger threat than storms outside.

13. No matter what the difficulty, trust in the Almighty. There will always be a rainbow at the end of the storm.

The 11th to 20th Commandments

11th. Thou shalt not worry, for worry is the most unproductive of all human activities.

12th. Thou shalt not be fearful, for most of the things we fear never come to pass.

13th. Thou shalt not cross bridges before you come to them, for no one has yet succeeded in accomplishing this.

14th. Thou shalt handle only one problem at a time, and leave the others to the Lord until their turn comes up.

15th. Thou shalt not take troubles to bed with you, for they make very poor bedfellows.

16th. Thou shalt not try to carry the problems of the world on your shoulders, for nobody (except for One) has a back that is broad enough.

17th. Thou shalt be a good listener, for God often speaks to us through the mouths of others.

18th. Thou shalt not try to relive yesterday; for good or ill, it is forever gone. Live in the now and rejoice in it.

19th. Thou shalt firmly dismiss feelings of frustration, for 90% of it is rooted in self-pity and will interfere with positive action.

20th. Thou shalt count thy blessings, never overlooking the smallest, for our biggest blessings are composed of many small ones.

Desiderata

By Max Ehrmann

Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly, and listen to others, even the dull and ignorant; they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexatious to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always, there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, no matter how humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time. Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals; and everywhere, life is full of heroism.

Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment, it is perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

Rules for Living

1. Anything that is worth doing is worth doing well.

2. The great essentials of happiness are something to do, something to love and something to hope for.

3. Keep skid chains on your tongue; always say less than you think. Cultivate a low, persuasive voice. How you say it counts more than what you say.

4. Never let an opportunity pass to say a kind and encouraging word about somebody.

5. Praise good work, regardless of who did it. If criticism is needed, criticize helpfully, not spitefully.

6. Make promises sparingly, and keep them faithfully no matter what it costs.

7. Be interested in others, their pursuits, their work, their homes and families. Make merry with those who rejoice, with those who weep, mourn. Let everyone you meet, however humble feel that you regard him as a person of importance.

8. Be cheerful. Don't burden or depress those around you by dwelling on your minor aches and pains and small disappointments. Remember, everyone is carrying some kind of a load.

9. Keep an open mind. Discuss, but don't argue. It is a mark of a superior mind to be able to disagree without being disagreeable.

10. Pay no attention to ill-natured remarks about you. Remember, the person who carried the message may not be the most accurate reporter in the world. Simply live so that nobody will believe them. Disordered nerves and bad digestion are a common cause of backbiting.

11. Don't be too anxious about the credit due you.

12. Do your best, and be patient. Forget about yourself, and let
others "remember." Success is much sweeter that way.

13. Observe and get to know where it hurts, then don't use it to hurt or abuse anybody.

14. Let argguments fly out open windows. Give no answer to contentious arguments or irresponsible accusations. Let such things fly out open windows until they spend themselves. If you try to answer or reason back, you only serve to gratify and ignite pent-up hostility and anger.

15. Do not complain about anything to which you need not subject yourself.

16. Do not harm little children.

17. Refrain from saying the unkind or negative thing, particularly when provoked or fatigued.

18. Do not give opinion or advice unless you are asked.

19. Do not tell your troubles to others unless you are sure they want to hear them.

20. When in another's house, show him/her respect; or else do not go there.

21. Do not take that which does not belong to you unless it is a burden to the person and he cries out to be relieved.